Forever Young succeeds for it's simplicity, it is what is and fortunately doesn't strain for any affectation.

Yes that's my feeling. I don't think there's a superfluous line in thereor one 'for-the-sake-of-rhyme' phrase.I always find the last verse powerful, especially as a wish from a parent to a child. None of the wishes after the second line in verse 1 are circumstantial in nature, but every one centres around our response to circumstances, whatever they may be. May your hands always be busy May your feet always be swiftMay you have a strong foundation When the winds of changes shiftMay your heart always be joyful And may your song always be sung

This thread pushed me to listen to Planet Waves again. It had been too long. "Tough Mama" is incredible. The interplay between guitar, voice, organ is just over the top. Anyway. It's a great record. I was surprised to see that it was released in January 1974. Blood on the tracks - January 1975. Desire - January 1976. Damn, that's an interesting three years.

I was charmed and dismayed by On a Night Like This, Forever Young and Dirge.

I wonder why Dylan, Inc., doesn’t list the lyrics to “On a Night Like This” on their bobdylan.com site?

Is it because they can’t get over the fact that even though A.F. Beddoe taught Bob to“don't use no green or rotten wood” only a few years earlier, when he covered “Copper Kettle,” that Bob still insists on throwing not-fully-dried-out logs on his fire so he can “listen to it hiss”?

good album its got some great melodies and great singing.The recording sound a little rushed at times. Forever Young could have done with some band harmonies on the chorus for example.It was a shame that Nobody cept you was left off it should have replaced the fast version of forever young.

Here’s a somewhat related article from Rolling Stone archives from around that time zone.

Bob Dylan Goes Back to Columbia RecordsElektra/Asylum/Atlantic cochairman David Geffen is less than pleased with the deal

By Judith Sims - September 12, 1974LOS ANGELES — David Geffen, cochairman of Electra/Asylum/Atlantic, who signed Bob Dylan for two albums this year (Planet Waves and the live tour album, Before the Flood) summed up Dylan's return to Columbia Records: "Bob Dylan has made a decision to bet on his past. I was more interested in his future.

"The tour I put together sold a huge amount of records for him. Every time he did a concert he sold his catalog. He has a lot of stuff in the vault that's about to come out, but with this deal, ownership of his masters reverts to him at the end of five years. Also, he gets a retroactive raise on his past records. What I did was make it possible for him to get back his masters from Columbia. He should thank me. At the time he went with me, they weren't that interested in him."

Geffen's statement reflected one current of thought in the industry on why Dylan had returned to Columbia – his label for 11 years: to protect his old tapes. Dylan himself was unavailable, and Irwin Segelstein, Columbia Records president who announced the signing early in August, refused to comment, saying, "The nature of our arrangements is a confidential matter."

Here’s a somewhat related article from Rolling Stone archives from around that time zone.

Bob Dylan Goes Back to Columbia RecordsElektra/Asylum/Atlantic cochairman David Geffen is less than pleased with the deal

By Judith Sims - September 12, 1974LOS ANGELES — David Geffen, cochairman of Electra/Asylum/Atlantic, who signed Bob Dylan for two albums this year (Planet Waves and the live tour album, Before the Flood) summed up Dylan's return to Columbia Records: "Bob Dylan has made a decision to bet on his past. I was more interested in his future.

"The tour I put together sold a huge amount of records for him. Every time he did a concert he sold his catalog. He has a lot of stuff in the vault that's about to come out, but with this deal, ownership of his masters reverts to him at the end of five years. Also, he gets a retroactive raise on his past records. What I did was make it possible for him to get back his masters from Columbia. He should thank me. At the time he went with me, they weren't that interested in him."

Geffen's statement reflected one current of thought in the industry on why Dylan had returned to Columbia – his label for 11 years: to protect his old tapes. Dylan himself was unavailable, and Irwin Segelstein, Columbia Records president who announced the signing early in August, refused to comment, saying, "The nature of our arrangements is a confidential matter."

Rolling Stone never lets me down. It's always crap.Basically, Geffen contacts Wenner because Geffen needs a place in the media to publically bitch about Bob Dylan. "He should thank me", says Geffen. Geffen claims he is more interested than Dylan in Dylan's future.

Here’s a somewhat related article from Rolling Stone archives from around that time zone.

Bob Dylan Goes Back to Columbia RecordsElektra/Asylum/Atlantic cochairman David Geffen is less than pleased with the deal

By Judith Sims - September 12, 1974LOS ANGELES — David Geffen, cochairman of Electra/Asylum/Atlantic, who signed Bob Dylan for two albums this year (Planet Waves and the live tour album, Before the Flood) summed up Dylan's return to Columbia Records: "Bob Dylan has made a decision to bet on his past. I was more interested in his future.

"The tour I put together sold a huge amount of records for him. Every time he did a concert he sold his catalog. He has a lot of stuff in the vault that's about to come out, but with this deal, ownership of his masters reverts to him at the end of five years. Also, he gets a retroactive raise on his past records. What I did was make it possible for him to get back his masters from Columbia. He should thank me. At the time he went with me, they weren't that interested in him."

Geffen's statement reflected one current of thought in the industry on why Dylan had returned to Columbia – his label for 11 years: to protect his old tapes. Dylan himself was unavailable, and Irwin Segelstein, Columbia Records president who announced the signing early in August, refused to comment, saying, "The nature of our arrangements is a confidential matter."

My Dylan acquisitions started in January 1971 with:New MorningGreatest Hits II Jan 72Self Portrait Feb 73Pat Garrett Bill the Kid ST July 73Planet Waves March 74 ?Before the Flood Jul 74and all the other albums over the years.

This list is MY Dylan, and I think that it is a listing of some of Dylan's disliked recordings. For me, it represents his best work, and embodies the idea that Bobby Neuwirth conveyed in NO DIRECTION HOME- Bob Dylan made his audience come to him. He did not go to them. Self Portrait represents the future of music - Dylan made all of those standards and country songs and sounds cool, not at first, but they sank in. New Morning celebrated family and the pursuit of happiness. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is The West.

Planet Waves is technically awesome. One of the overlooked aspects of PW is the second faster version of Forever Young. These versions show how performance can alter the mood of lyrics. Something there is about you - "Walking the Hills of old Duluth...." is a great line filled with nostalgia.

Like a Rolling Stone on Before the Flood is the best and angriest version of them all.

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